Yasiel Puig’s heroics not enough as Dodgers fall to Pirates 6-3

Pittsburgh Piratesí Clint Barmes, left, beats the throw to Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Tim Federowicz, right, to score on a single by Josh Harrison in the fifth inning of a baseball game Thursday, May 29, 2014, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)

Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Neil Walker (18) celebrates with left fielder Starling Marte (6) after defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-3 in a baseball game on Thursday, May 29, 2014 in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)

Yasiel Puig is gunning for Player of the Month honors, and at this point, is there really any doubt?

Puig continued to electrify the home crowd on Thursday night during a matchup of Southern California-bred starting pitchers.

The Dodgers’ Dan Haren continued to pitch well at Dodger Stadium and Pittsburgh’s Gerrit Cole became comfortable after a rocky start.

Haren’s effort was wiped out when the Pirates scored three runs in the seventh inning off the Dodger bullpen.

Josh Harrison and Neil Walker had RBI singles off Brandon League, then Paul Maholm relieved League, only to see pinch hitter Gaby Sanchez greet him with an RBI double to left field, helping Pittsburgh defeat the Dodgers 6-3 in the opening game of a four-game series.

League, who has mostly been effective this season, went two-thirds of an inning, allowing three runs on three hits and a walk.

“I couldn’t buy myself a groundout tonight,” League said. “I’m not sure if my sinker was not sinking or if it was location, I’ll have to check out the video tomorrow.”

“You have to look at his body of work this season, he’s been really good,” Mattingly said. “You have to allow him a hiccup now and again.”

Puig, who went into the game leading the majors with a .406 average, .509 on-base percentage and .760 slugging percentage in May, went 2 for 4 with two doubles, an RBI and a run scored. He now leads the National League with 25 RBIs in May.

Puig also made a sensational one-handed catch against the wall down the right-field line in the eighth inning.

Puig has reached base safely in 30 consecutive games, the longest active streak in the major leagues.

But Puig’s exploits were not enough.

Cole, making his second major league appearance in Southern California and first at Dodger Stadium, settled down after the first two innings and retired 11 in a row before Puig led off the the sixth inning with a double and Hanley Ramirez singled him home to tie the score 3-3.

The Dodgers jumped on Cole early. In the first inning, Andre Ethier delivered a one-out triple down the right-field line and Puig followed with bloop RBI double to right field, dunking the ball in between second baseman Neil Walker and right fielder Josh Harrison and failing to stop until he beat the throw to second.

In the second inning, Justin Turner led off with a line-drive single just out of the reach of diving center fielder Andrew McCutchen. After a Tim Federowicz sacrifice bunt, Dee Gordon delivered an RBI single up the middle under the glove of diving shortstop Clint Barmes to give the Dodgers a 2-1 lead.

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Former Dodger Russell Martin hit a two-out, solo home run on a split-finger fastball left up in the zone by Haren in the sixth inning to give the Pirates a 3-2 lead.

“I’m really mad about that pitch,” Haren said. “Right as I let it go I knew. I was just hoping he’d foul it off.”

Haren, a Bishop Amat High graduate and former Pepperdine star who has not lost at Dodger Stadium this season, went six innings, allowing three runs on eight hits and no walks with two strikeouts. League took the loss, so Haren still has not lost in five starts at Dodger Stadium this season.

“I’ve been mediocre for a few starts now, I have to get back to how I was throwing earlier in the season,” Haren said. “I’ve got to get guys to swing and miss a little more. When that many balls are put into play, bad things are going to happen.”

Cole went 6 2/3 innings, allowing three runs on six hits and two walks with three strikeouts.

Three Pittsburgh relievers kept the Dodgers off the scoreboard. Jason Grilli closed it out in the ninth.

Barmes went 3 for 4 with two runs scored, Harrison went 2 for 5 with two RBIs and Walker went 2 for 5 with an RBI for Pittsburgh.

The Dodgers’ nine-game home winning streak against the Pirates came to an end.